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Tutorial
SE-VB Parametric Part - NorthPole Method

Tushar Suradkar
www.oocities.org/SeGuruCool

  segurucool @ indiatimes.com


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    In this this tutorial, you learn :

  • How to prepare a part for parametrization.
  • How to open a part file.
  • How to access the variable table via VB.
  • How to update a part.
  • How to save and close the part file using VB.


  • It is assumed that you are familiar with the basics of Solid Edge and VB.


    Define the Goal

    We want to control parameters of a shaft with a keyway as shown in figure.

    Start with creating the part.

    Make a circle in the x-z plane and protrude it.


    The Constraints

    For the keyway cutout, sketch a rectangle as shown.

    Connect     the midpoints of the vertical lines to the circle.

    See figure (brown arrows).

    This ensures symmetry for the keyway slot both horizontally and vertically.

    Also, the keyway slot stays with the shaft all the time, i.e. even when the diameter of the shaft changes, we need not worry about the position of the keyway from the center of shaft.


    The Cutout

    Complete the cutout and do not make it through.

    We want to control the length of the keyway as a parameter.

    Check the part consistency by modifying the width and height of the cutout (keyway) and the diameter of the shaft.

    Two Connect contraints have done the trick.


    Setup the Variables

    Rename the shaft diameter variable to ShaftDia as shown in figure.

    Similarly, ShaftLength, KeyWidth, KeyDepth and KeyLength.

    Save the part and quit Solid Edge.


    Coding Time

    Start a Standard EXE project.


    The Form

    Cook up a form with controls as shown in figure.

    The Sub for the Update button will handle the meaty part of the code.


    Involve Solid Edge

    Click Project > References and include references to Solid Edge FrameWork and Part type libraries.

    See figure.


    Start Coding

    Start coding by opting to declare variables explicitly.
     
    Option Explicit
    
    Dim strFName As String
    
    Dim objApp As SolidEdgeFramework.Application
    Dim objDoc As SolidEdgePart.PartDocument
    
    Dim objVars As Variables
     
    The string strFName holds the filename of the Solid Edge part file containing the Shaft.

    Also, declare object variables for the Solid Edge application, the part document and the variables collection.

    Download [ 32 kb ] VB source code files for this tutorial
    (Also contains the part file).


    More Variables

    The datatype for the paramters to control is string and not numeric.
     
    Dim strFName As String
    Dim ShaftDia As String
    Dim ShaftLength As String
    Dim KeyWidth As String
    Dim KeyDepth As String
    Dim KeyLength As String
     
    Also, code the textboxes to directly assign their text property to these variables, and not the value of the textboxes.

    This is shown below :
     
    Private Sub txtShaftDia_Change()
      ShaftDia = txtShaftDia.Text
    End Sub
     


    Go for It

    The Click event of the cmdUpdate button calls the UpdatePart Public Function
     
    Private Sub cmdUpdate_Click()
      Call UpdatePart
    End Sub
    
    Public Function UpdatePart()
      strFName = App.Path & "\Shaft_With_KeyWay.par"
      On Error Resume Next
      
      Set objApp = GetObject(, "SolidEdge.Application")
      
      If Err Then
        Err.Clear
        Set objApp = CreateObject("SolidEdge.Application")
        Set objDoc = objApp.Documents.Open(strFName)
      End If
      objApp.DisplayAlerts = False
      objApp.Visible = False
     
    First strFName is assigned the filename.

    In this case, the part file Shaft_With_KeyWay.par sits in the same folder as this project, hence, App.path.

    Also note the leading Slash ( \ )

    Next we try to connect to a running instance of Solid Edge using GetObject. If SE is not running, fire it up using CreateObject.

    Open the part file and assign it to ObjDoc and keep SE invisible throughout.

    If you keep objApp.Visible = True, you can see the things in action.
    But that would be a innocent way to stare at things.

    Watch it happening - like a pro

    Before you click the Update button on the form, right click the taskbar (Win 2000 only) and select Task manager....

    In the task manager dialog, take the Processes tab and click on the Image Name column header twice ( do not double-click ) to list the processes alphabetically.

    Edge.exe should be one of them, but only until the objects are set to Nothing.

    You can also see the Mem Usage figure flare up at key time intervals, especially when the part document is opened and the program is updating the variables.

    The Meaty Part

    objVars is assigned the variables collection from the variable table of Solid Edge part file.
     
    Set objVars = objDoc.Variables
      
    objVars.Edit "ShaftDia", ShaftDia
    objVars.Edit "ShaftLength", ShaftLength
    objVars.Edit "KeyDepth", KeyDepth
    objVars.Edit "KeyWidth", KeyWidth
    objVars.Edit "KeyLength", KeyLength
     
    Change the value of the variables using the Edit method of the objVars collection object.

    Here the first "ShaftDia" (in double quotes) is the name of the variable from the variable table of the part file.

    The second ShaftDia (without double quotes) is the string variable from the txtShaftDia textbox.


    Scavenging

    The Scavenging stuff in any Solid Edge - VB customization thing should be taken seriously.
     
      Call objDoc.Save
      Call objDoc.Close
      Call objApp.Quit
      
      Set objApp = Nothing
      Set objDoc = Nothing
      Set objVars = Nothing
      
    MsgBox "Done !", vbExclamation
    End Function 


    Tushar Suradkar     segurucool @ indiatimes.com

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